SUMMARY:
One of the most notorious agents of halitosis may improve joint health. Researchers have determined that eating a diet rich in garlic appears to decrease the risk of developing certain types of arthritis.

Posted: December 22, 2010

One of the most notorious agents of halitosis may improve joint health. Researchers have determined that eating a diet rich in garlic appears to decrease the risk of developing certain types of arthritis.

A study published in the journal BioMed Central Musculoskeletal Disorders associated eating bulbous vegetables of the Allium genus, including garlic, leeks, shallots and onions, with a lower incidence of hip osteoarthritis.

In studying the effect alliums have on arthritis, the researchers discovered that a compound in garlic called diallyl disulphide appears to prevent cartilage damage caused by certain enzymes in the body.

A similar molecule, allyl methyl sulfide, is responsible for garlic breath. It not only aromatically stains the tongue but also may be absorbed into the bloodstream and released into the air of the lungs, causing pungent bad breath. Sulfuric compounds are largely responsible for halitosis caused by dry mouth, garlic and other foods.

Treating osteoarthritis, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 27 million American suffer from, can be difficult. Treating garlic breath is relatively simple. Brushing the teeth, scraping the tongue and then rinsing with an odor-neutralizing specialty breath freshener may eliminate halitosis caused by garlic and other foods that may benefit joint health.